Despite strong support in both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate for a bill that would require the disclosure of information on Jeffrey Epstein, there are concerns among some lawmakers that President Donald Trump may find ways to avoid revealing details about the deceased sex trafficker. The worry is that the Department of Justice (DOJ) could use a legal loophole opened by Trump to withhold crucial documents related to its investigations into Epstein’s exploitation of underage girls.
The bill, known as the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which was passed by Congress on Tuesday, permits the DOJ to withhold or redact any records that might compromise an ongoing federal investigation or prosecution. Thomas Massie, a Republican co-sponsor of the bill, expressed unease about Trump’s recent actions and suggested that opening new investigations could be a tactic to prevent the release of the files.
Once Trump signs the bill, expected to occur on Wednesday, the DOJ will have 30 days to disclose all unclassified materials linked to its inquiries into Epstein’s crimes. This is a step that the Trump administration could have taken independently earlier but had been resisting since July.
Advocates for transparency fear that the White House might try to delay the full release of the files. Spencer Kuvin, an attorney representing some of Epstein’s victims, suspects that Trump’s recent investigations may have an alternative motive to restrict public access to additional materials by maintaining an ongoing inquiry. Kuvin suggested that survivors might resort to legal action to compel the DOJ to release the information if necessary.
The act stipulates that any withholding of information related to ongoing investigations must be specific and temporary in nature. Jena-Lisa Jones, an Epstein abuse survivor who supported Trump, urged the president not to weaponize the files against his political adversaries. Jones emphasized the importance of addressing sexual abuse as a moral issue rather than a political one and called for the honest disclosure of the files without political manipulation.
